Household spending has fallen by 30% since 2010, according to the International Monetary Fund. As real wages fell, people were forced to find new ways to save money.

Brides-to-be come into the Topalidous' shop to pick up ribbons and fabrics for handmade decorations; other customers want supplies for craft presents. Felt trinkets are particularly popular, and the shop sells books on how to make them.

Business has been so brisk that the Topalidous were able to take over two adjacent shops to expand their premises.

Denia Topalidou and her father Panos in their store in Athens.

"The crisis created the business, but then the business became fashion -- everyone loves handmade gifts and unique clothes," Denia's sister Anna told CNNMoney.

The new reality means he must work harder -- he has to repair five phones to earn as much as he makes by selling just one.

Wajahat offers lower prices than official retailers, attracting customers who can't afford to use branded service points. The repairs offset lost sales, allowing him to break even at the end of the month.

"I put [any] extra money back into the shop, trying to improve it," he said.

Wajahat Anwar says more people now consider repairing their phones, rather than buying new ones.

The economic misery was also initially a blessing for pawn shops. Dozens sprung up around Athens' Omonia square, buying gold and silver items for cash, when the crisis first hit five years ago.

Nikos Billis, who runs one of them, said the number of people wanting to sell their gold jumped 70% because of the crisis. Another pawnbroker just a block away said he saw an increase of more than tenfold.

But as the crisis grinds on, even these recession-proof businesses are starting to struggle.

"Now it's quite bad again... people have already sold all their gold, they have nothing left and no money to buy anything," Billis said.